Mind Games, 3D Stereograms and Trivia

Can you read the text?

byb1 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:05:37 +0000

Stare at the centre dot and the colours eventually disappear. Spooky!

byb1 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:02:52 +0000

Is This a Level Balance?

byb1 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:55:18 +0000

Hidden Bear

byb1 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 09:49:07 +0000

Moving circles.

byb1 — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:52:14 +0000

A similar example of ambiguous optical illusions – father and son.

byb1 — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:49:41 +0000

Cognitive illusions/looks like George Washington.

byb1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:32:55 +0000

Eggs Florentine

byb1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:18:22 +0000

Ingredients: ( Serves 4 )

4 Large Fresh Eggs

2 Cups Sauteed Spinach

12 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Sea Salt

Cracked Black Pepper

To Serve:

4 Slices Crusty Country Style Bread

1 Large Garlic Clove, Peeled

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Place the bread slices under the broiler until golden brown on each side. Place the garlic clove on the tines of a fork and scrape the garlic along one side of the bread. Brush with some olive oil and set on four individual plates to be served alongside the cooked eggs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1/2 Cup spinach in each of the four ramekins. Break an egg on top of the spinach, being careful not to crack the yolk. Spoon three tablespoons of heavy cream on top of each egg. Sprinkle each with a little sea salt, cracked pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Bake the eggs for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the yolks are at your desired doneness. Serve with some toasted bread slices alongside each ramekin.

Asparagi alla Bismarck

byb1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:14:00 +0000

Ingredients: ( Serves 4 )

1 Pound Asaparagus

4 Large Eggs

6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

Boil the asparagus in gently boiling water until cooked, but still al dente. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Divide the asparagus onto four plates. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a frying pan and fry the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks remain soft. Place one egg on top of each bunch of asparagus. Melt the remaining butter in a small pan and then drizzle it over the melted butter. Sprinkle with a little salt, and some coarsley cracked black pepper. Next sprinkle equally over each plate the fresh parmesan cheese.

Pancetta Zucchini Breakfast Tart

byb1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:06:00 +0000

On our recent trip to Italy, we stayed at a beautiful country hotel called Relais Villa Giulia in Fano. The one thing I will always remember most about our stay there was the amazing breakfast buffet. There were many freshly baked breakfast cakes and tarts, but there was one savory egg tart that both my husband and I really enjoyed.

This is my version of that tart made with a light airy puff pastry crust and a quiche style filling. You could vary the filling by changing the vegetables, meat or cheese to suit your taste, but the filling ingredients I used in this recipe were what I tasted in the tart we so enjoyed at Villa Giulia. Do not worry if your eggs run over the pastry a bit on the sides as once it is baked it will not matter, and it adds to it’s rustic charm.

Ingredients: ( Serves 6 to 8 )

1 (8 Ounce) Package Puff Pastry, Thawed If Frozen

1 Medium Zucchini, Cut Into 1/2 Inch Dice

1/4 Cup Finely Diced Onion

1/2 Cup Finely Diced Pancetta

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

8 Medium Eggs

1/ 2 Cup Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

For Garnish:

Thinly Sliced Roasted Red Pepper Strips (Optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch spring-form pan with removable bottom. Roll out the puff pastry until fairly thin. Place the spring-form pan on the pastry and cut out a circle three inches larger than the pan’s bottom diameter. Place the pastry in the pan carefully pressing it onto the bottom of the pan but leaving the sides free.

In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the pancetta cubes. Cook until lightly brown. Add the onion and zucchini and continue to cook until tender. Cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream until light and fluffy. Fold in the zucchini mixture and cheese. Stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully pour the eggs into the prepared pan, making sure the pastry stays put along the sides. After the eggs are in the pan, carefully bring the pastry from the sides of the pan over the egg mixture just covering the top edges. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the pastry is lightly browned and the eggs are set. Cool for about 10 minutes and then carefully remove from spring-form pan and place on a large plate, garnish with pepper strips, and serve.